Thank you for contacting Hon. Penny Simmonds, Member of Parliament for
Invercargill, Minister for the Environment, Minister for Vocational
Education and Associate Minister for Social Development & Employment.
The Minister considers all correspondence important, however, as she
receives a large amount of correspondence, it is not always possible to
provide a personal response.
Please note the following guidelines:

* If you are an Invercargill constituent contacting the Minister about
an issue, then your email will be passed to her electorate office.
* Invitations and requests to meet with the Minister will be considered
and a staff member will be in touch with you in due course.
* Requests for official information will be managed in accordance with
provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, which may include a
transfer to a more relevant Minister or agency.
* If your email falls outside of the Minister's portfolio
responsibilities, expresses a personal view, or is copied to multiple
Members of Parliament, then your opinion will be noted and your
correspondence may be transferred to another office, or there may be
no further response to you.

Thank you once again for taking the time to write; it is very much
appreciated.
The Office of Hon. Penny Simmonds
(Please note that this acknowledgement is an automatically generated
email.)

Dear R S Bicknell,

Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 in which you submitted an Official Information Act request, which reads as follows:

- I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.

- I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.

Minister Simmonds is considering your request in accordance with the Act, and you can expect a response by 21 August 2025.

Ngā mihi,
Amy

Amy Stapleton (she/her)
Press Secretary | Office of Hon Penny Simmonds 
Mobile: +64 21 890 692

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Dear R S Bicknell,

Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 in which you submitted an Official Information Act request, which reads as follows:

- I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.

- I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.

Minister Simmonds is considering your request in accordance with the Act, and you can expect a response by 21 August 2025.

Ngā mihi,
Amy

Amy Stapleton (she/her)
Press Secretary | Office of Hon Penny Simmonds 
Mobile: +64 21 890 692

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Dear R S Bicknell,

Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 requesting the following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):

- I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.

- I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.

I am writing to notify you that the Office of the Minister for Vocational Education, Hon Penny Simmonds, is transferring your request in full to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), for response, as we believe the information to which your request relates is more closely connected with their functions.

In these circumstances, we are required by section 14 of the Act to transfer your request.

You will hear further from TEC regarding your request.

You have a right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision to transfer your request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or Freephone 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi,
Amy

Amy Stapleton (she/her)
Press Secretary | Office of Hon Penny Simmonds 
Mobile: +64 21 890 692

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Dear R S Bicknell,

Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 requesting the following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):

- I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.

- I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.

I am writing to notify you that the Office of the Minister for the Environment, Hon Penny Simmonds, is transferring your request in full to the Ministry of Education (MoE) for response, as we believe the information to which your request relates is more closely connected with their functions.

In these circumstances, we are required by section 14 of the Act to transfer your request.

You will hear further from MoE regarding your request.

You have a right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision to transfer your request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or Freephone 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi,
Amy

Amy Stapleton (she/her)
Press Secretary | Office of Hon Penny Simmonds 
Mobile: +64 21 890 692

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Kia ora R S Bicknell  

 

Thank you for the information request attached, that was transferred to
the Ministry on 1 August 2025.  The Ministry will consider and respond to
your request in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982 the
Act).

 

Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of
our decision on your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any
case not later than 20 working days after the day on which your request is
received. You can therefore expect to receive our decision on your request
on or before 29 August 2025. If more than 20 working days are needed due
to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in answering your
request, we will notify you accordingly.

 

The Ministry may publicly release on our website the response to your
request five days after you have received it. Any personal information
will be removed.

 

In the interim, if you have any questions about your request, please email
[1][email address]

 

Ngā mihi

 

Enquiries National Team | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of
Education | TW

[2]education.govt.nz

We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ōna huanga
[3]Te TD huhu o te MD tauranga

 

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